Legendary journalist and Macon native Tom Johnson is returning to his hometown on Nov. 5 to discuss his new memoir, Driven: A Life in Public Service and Journalism from LBJ to CNN.
Mercer University will host Johnson, a former publisher of the Los Angeles Times and former president of CNN, in the Presidents Dining Room for a 5:30 p.m. reception followed by a talk at 6 p.m. Johnson will discuss Driven in conversation with Ed Grisamore, a writer and columnist for The Macon Melody.
A book signing will follow, with a limited number of books available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public.
Johnson embraced journalism at an early age. He began working at The Macon Telegraph while still attending Lanier High School. While there, he caught the attention of newspaper owner Peyton Anderson. Anderson awarded Johnson with scholarships to further his education and management training opportunities at the paper. Johnson, whose mother worked at Mercer, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School. Afterward, President Lyndon B. Johnson selected him for a prestigious White House fellowship.
During the Johnson administration, he held intimate knowledge about the biggest new events of the time, from Vietnam War negotiations to the aftermath of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. He continued to work for the president after he left office.
Tom Johnson’s new book brings a seasoned perspective to today’s debates about government, media and the future of truth. His long-awaited autobiography provides eyewitness accounts of LBJ’s triumphs and failings as well as an insider’s view of the achievements — and shortfalls — of late 20th-century American journalism. He ran CNN until he retired in 2001.
Johnson is also candid about his lifelong struggle with depression. In retirement, he has worked actively as a leader in mental health, cancer research, Alzheimer’s disease and addiction treatment and recovery.
The event is co-sponsored by Historic Macon, the Peyton Anderson Foundation, Knight Foundation and Mercer. Registration is encouraged but not required to attend.
